From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: favor \fa"vor\ (f[=a]"v[~e]r), n. [Written also favour.] [OF. favor, F. faveur, L. favor, fr. favere to be favorable, cf. Skr. bh[=a]vaya to further, foster, causative of bh[=u] to become, be. Cf. {Be}. In the phrase to curry favor, favor is prob. for favel a horse. See 2d {Favel}.] 1. Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness; good will. [1913 Webster] Hath crawled into the favor of the king. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. The act of countenancing, or the condition of being countenanced, or regarded propitiously; support; promotion; befriending. [1913 Webster] But found no favor in his lady's eyes. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. --Luke ii. 52. [1913 Webster] 3. A kind act or office; kindness done or granted; benevolence shown by word or deed; an act of grace or good will, as distinct from justice or remuneration. [1913 Webster] Beg one favor at thy gracious hand. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 4. Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity. [1913 Webster] I could not discover the lenity and favor of this sentence. --Swift. [1913 Webster] 5. The object of regard; person or thing favored. [1913 Webster] All these his wondrous works, but chiefly man, His chief delight and favor. --Milton. [1913 Webster] 6. A gift or present; something bestowed as an evidence of good will; a token of love; a knot of ribbons; something worn as a token of affection; as, a marriage favor is a bunch or knot of white ribbons or white flowers worn at a wedding. [1913 Webster] Wear thou this favor for me, and stick it in thy cap. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 7. Appearance; look; countenance; face. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] This boy is fair, of female favor. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 8. (Law) Partiality; bias. --Bouvier. [1913 Webster] 9. A letter or epistle; -- so called in civility or compliment; as, your favor of yesterday is received. [1913 Webster] 10. pl. Love locks. [Obs.] --Wright. [1913 Webster] {Challenge to the favor} or {Challenge for favor} (Law), the challenge of a juror on grounds not sufficient to constitute a principal challenge, but sufficient to give rise to a probable suspicion of favor or bias, such as acquaintance, business relation, etc. See {Principal challenge}, under {Challenge}. {In favor of}, upon the side of; favorable to; for the advantage of. {In favor with}, favored, countenanced, or encouraged by. {To curry favor} [see the etymology of {Favor}, above], to seek to gain favor by flattery, caresses, kindness, or officious civilities. {With one's favor}, or {By one's favor}, with leave; by kind permission. [1913 Webster] But, with your favor, I will treat it here. --Dryden. Syn: Kindness; countenance; patronage; support; lenity; grace; gift; present; benefit. [1913 Webster]
